Somewhere Only We Know
by four51
Summary: Rory has a new boyfriend. Tristan sees abuse. How will the story end? Previously titled Echoes Rated R for language.
1. On the Sidelines

Summary: Rory gets a boyfriend. Tristan sees signs of abuse, and Rory knows it. Can Tristan save her in the long run?

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 1. On the sidelines.

She came up behind him and wrapped her tiny arms around his waist. But he didn't reply lovingly.

He quickly discarded her, ripping her gesture off. Rory furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and sadness. He just kept talking with his friends, not paying any attention to her.

Tristan stood at the sidelines, watching it all. It had always been this way, since he could remember. Ever since they got together. Ron and her. It didn't make sense in his mind.

Rory quickly walked way from him. She couldn't stand to look at him anymore. She didn't even know why she was even with him.

No. She knew. She knew perfectly why she didn't leave him. It was because he would kill her if she didn't. Those were his words; he said it to her. He threatened her if she told; calling the police; telling _anyone_; breaking up with him; etc. It was all in the same category. She knew exactly what she wasn't supposed to do, and what _not_ to do... he reminded her of it everyday.

His low, growl-ly voice could get anything it ever wanted. And she gave it to him, on a silver platter. He wouldn't take it any other way.

Tristan just glared at Ron. He couldn't believe this guy would dismiss such a person as Rory. Sometimes, he had nightmares about the way he treated her: complete hatred; full detestation. What the hell was his problem?

What was hers? What did she see in him? How could she be with him? The questions real in his mind one hundred times a second.

Most of the time, he just turned and walked away. He couldn't watch them anymore without getting nauseous. Complete and total sickness, they were.

Rory entered her first period class. Followed closely by her "boyfriend". He tried to put his hand around her waist, but she pulled away from him. He grabbed her wrist, and squeezed hard.

"Hey," he warned her softly.She kept her lips pursed and allowed him to access he wanted. Looking elsewhere, tears threatened to escape. She looked down at her wrist; it was going to get bruised. 

She wondered if anyone noticed she had been wearing baggy clothes lately. She wanted them to notice. She wanted to tell them everything. Get everything off her chest, that is what she needed to do; and _badly_.

She was going to die if she didn't.

Tristan saw the panorama playing in front of him. He always sat in the back of the classes that he had with Rory.

This wasn't new. He wasn't stupid. He always noticed the bruises on her legs. But, the truth is, he was afraid to ask. She might hate him for life. So he stayed on the sidelines, just doing his thing.

But every Friday, he would follow her home (she would be riding in Ron's car), just to make sure she would get there safely.

Rory took out the necessary items for Mr. Madina's literature class. She had took her regular seat, right by the window, clear view of the outside world she could never take part in.

The bell rang.

Mr. Madina: "Class, the bell has rung, in your seats." That is how he always started this class. Those were always his first words. "Now, back to yesterday's lesson. _Blah, blah, blah_."

She tried hard to listen to him. She really did. But ever since, she found she couldn't pay attention in class. She didn't know why; other things were on her mind, maybe.

He was sitting behind her. Tristan was sitting behind Rory. She had just gathered her hair and put it to one side of her shoulder, and he could see more bruises and cuts.

She was hurting, and he could tell. He couldn't do anything, though. He was just on the sidelines.

A/N: Hey, tell me if you like it and if I should go on. I think that it's leading to a great story, though. Please review, for my sake.


	2. Breathing

A/N: Thanks to all of the reviewers! The last chapter was supposed to be more spaced out. Like more "enter"s so yeah, that is the way this chapter is going to be.

**Sooty7sweep**: thanks! You are such a motivator in _all_ my stories, and I love to read your reviews!

Summary: Rory has a new boyfriend. Tristan sees abuse. How will it work out in the end?

Takes Place: Season 1, after Rory and Dean broke up the 1st time, they never got together again. The kiss at Madeline's party **did** happen, although, the stuff after didn't.

Disclaimer: I take it you get tired after reading these all the time, huh?

Chapter 2. Breathing

He goes up behind her in the cafeteria. She was reading a book. He wraps his arms around her, and kisses her neck forcefully.

Rory moves away and he sits next to her.

Ron: "What's you're problem?" he sounded powerful.

Rory: "Nothing." Rory was still looking down at her book.

Ron: grabs her chin and moves it so she was looking at him. "You look at me when I'm talking to you." He ordered her around all the time.

Rory: "Sorry." She tried to get out of his grasp, but he had a tough hold.

_Him_: "Is that _attitude_?" He still had a harsh clasp.

Rory: "No-"

He slapped her, she just breathed hard, in and out. To keep the tears from falling.

Then Ron looked around to see if anyone saw. No one did.

---Except one. The one he didn't see. The one that had been watching them since he started to find cuts and bruises.

He hurt every time he saw Rory hurt. And it tore a little piece of his heart when he saw him doing it so out in the open.

He wanted to kill him. He wanted to pick off his flesh piece by piece. He didn't know why he felt this way at all.

They had only kissed once. And she ran away crying. Then a week later, she had a new fellow. He didn't know what he would do to her. If he knew, then he would have jumped in and took her off in his arms. But he never did. And he screamed at himself for it.

---Rory tried to look at anyone but him.

She found someone looking right back to her. Tristan DuGrey. The one person she had hated ever since she came to this damned school.

She found him intoxicating. She stared right back at him.

Eyes: "Help." They had whispered it. Didn't want to have Ron hear it.

But Tristan didn't help her. He just leaned back in his cheap, plastic chair and watched her every move.

He didn't show any sign of movement, or guilt, or help. She pleaded, and he spat her back out.

Oh, here come the tears.

She gets up and starts to gather her stuff.

Ron: "Hey," he grabbed the same wrist he bruised. "What do you think you're doing?"

Rory: She sniffed her nose. "I need to go to the bathroom."

Ron: "Like hell you do."

Rory: "I do!"

Ron got up and started to walk with her.

Once they got out the door, he shoved her into the lockers.

Rory: "What are you doing-?"

Ron: He punches her in the face. "Bitch." He punches her in the stomach and she falls on the ground.

She screams at him to stop, in tears.

---He walks out in the hallways, with a few people, after the bell rang. The first thing he sees is Rory on the ground, and Ron standing over her.

All the group stops and just stares at them. More people come out and joins the crowd.

Ron: "She fell."

And he helps her up.

She has blood dripping from her lip, and what looks like a black eye.

Ron: to Rory "You should go to the nurse and clean that up."

Then the crowd goes on their ways, completely ignoring the scene that they had just witnessed.

A/N: how did you like it? I think it was a bit melo-dramatic. Review. Damn. The spacing didn't work. I'll work on it and the next chapter will be longer. Thanks for reading!

Paige


	3. Talk to Me

A/N: I love you guys! I love all the reviews! I think you guys like this story and that's great. I thought it up while watching the video to Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved". So yah. Hope you guys like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything... well that's not true. I own my clothes, my CDs, my TV, and all the other stuff that's mine.

Summary: I think you already know the drill.

Chapter 3. Talk to Me...

Lorelai: "Come on, Sweetie, talk to me... please."

Rory: "I have nothing to say."

Lorelai: "Tell me how you got all those bruises."

Lorelai tried. She tried and tried and tried. Rory wouldn't talk.

Rory: "I fell down the stairs. That's it." Rory came home in the middle of the day because that is what the nurse prescribed. Rory thanked god.

Lorelai: "Are you sure?" She knew it wasn't the real answer. And she knew that she never told her the _whole_ truth. But she never pushed her.

Rory: "_Yes_, Mom. I fell down the stairs. That's what I told you, isn't it?"

Lorelai went back to watching the TV. She didn't want to push her. She never did. And that was the downfall to what Rory had wanted. She wanted people to see that she was hurting. She wanted people to talk with her.

But she kept pushing them away.

Rory: "I'm going out."

Lorelai: "I don't think that's a good-" but she was already out the door, with her light coat.

¤

He saw her standing there. Up on the bridge. Standing on the edge. Her arms were out to make a "T" with her feet. She was wearing nothing but a tiny pair of shorts and a tank top. And it was raining down hard.

As he approached her, he saw that her eyes were closed. She looked so hurt.

The shirt exposed part of her midriff, causing him to see a bruise on her stomach and a few minor cuts.

Tristan: "Rory" he wanted to get her attention.

¤

She had changed into the extra clothes she always took in the back of her car.

Car = Grandparents = 16th birthday.

So she got onto the freeway, then onto a bridge.

Her lips formed a slight smile at this point. Wanting more.

She got out and climbed on the side. It was raining, but she didn't care. She wasn't cold. She couldn't feel.

Feeling was overrated. She didn't need to. But if she did, she would die from the pain.

A/N: Short, but to the point. I guess you guys are happy that Tristan found her, eh? I liked it too. You have to read the next chapter so you'll see what happens... hehe.

Paige


	4. Don't Be Frightened

A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews. I think you actually like this story ha-ha. Silly question to askâ€ think. But really, I'm glad you like it, and I love that you guys review.

Disclaimer: You've seen this about 500 times already; do I really need to have you see it again?

Summary: if you have come this far in the story, and you don't know the summary, you need help.

Takes Place: season 1.

Chapter 4. Don't Be Frightened.

Tristan: "Rory" Again. He didn't think that she heard him the last time.

But she didn't turn around. She made no movement at all.

This made Tristan worry. What was she doing up there? What did she plan on doing? 

Was she going to. No. She hurt, but she wasn't suicidal was she?

She was smiling, for the first time in forever, it seemed like. Her eyes were closed, and she pictured herself flying. Her arms were out, and she was leaving.

But someone pulled her out of her reverie, as they dragged her to the ground. One hand clutched her stomach, while another cradled her back.

Rory: "Get away from me!"

She struggled out of the grasp of the blurred vision.

Person: "No, no, Rory. It's just me. Don't be frightened."

The voice sounded frantic and Rory peered out from her wet hair sticking to her face.

Rory: "Tristan?! God!" He had pressed her stomach. And that had a result of not being able to breathe. She rubbed the damage done, and yelled at him. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Tristan: "What the hell are _you_ doing?"

How could he do that? Turn the subject to fit her.

Rory: "I'm going."

That wasn't the answer he was looking for. So he took her arm as she started to get back in her car.

Rory: she yelps. He tugged on her bruised wrist. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why can't you just leave me alone?!" she yet again, rubs the damage.

Tristan doesn't say anything, just searches her eyes. He blinks. "Come home with me; we'll treat those cuts on your stomach."

Rory: "Yeah, just go over to your house when I don't even know you. Sure, that'll happen."

Tristan: "If you trust me, it would."

Rory: "Well guess what, Tristan?! I don't! So stay the hell away from me." She gritted that through her closed teeth.

And then she walked back into her car, dripping, soaking wet, and sat down with a hoof. Who the hell did he think he was?! Expecting her to just go with him, without a second thought.

She drove off with a skid and a loud noise, knowing she was going to break down then and there. She had wanted to, whether she wanted to admit it or not she did. She wanted to be in the presence of someone that didn't hit her and was in the age frame of that of herself. She didn't know what it was; she just was drawn to him.

She didn't know what to do. If Ron found out, he would be furious! But she couldn't help it.

And it scared the hell out of her.

A/N: sorry for the time delay. I was making all these different ladders to climb, and I didn't know which one to do first. So I chose for her to first get mad at him. So the next chapter, which all of you will like, will have some – and I stress- _some_ trory-ness to it. At the end, but I don't want to give it away, now, do I?

Paige


	5. On Your Doorstep

she didn't know how to describe it. A/N: sorry, again for the time. I have so much homework that I have hardly any time left over.

Disclaimer: Boring, isn't it? Reading all of these disclaimers?

Summary: it's about a boy and a girl. You should know the rest.

Takes Place: If you haven't seen it in any of my other chapters, the insane asylum is just down the road.

Chapter 5. On Your Doorstep

Rory drove for over 2 hours, just clearing her head, but that didn't work. Her head wasn't cleared, and she had to go home sometime. She just didn't want to. So she turned on the radio and a song she didn't know came on. She could tell that she didn't like the artist, so she turned the dial.

She didn't know what she was looking for, but she did know it wasn't, in any way, what she had experienced before. She wanted something... that made her feel. Made her feel... she didn't know how to explain it. She just knew it wasn't what she had.

So she drove, to clear her mind. Although she knew it wouldn't work. Nothing would work.

--- Tristan ---

He slammed the door as he came into his own room. He was sopping wet, dripping on the 'white, white, white' carpet.

What did he have to do? Why couldn't she have just come with him? Why was she damn hard all the time?

He heard his mother shouting at him from down the stairs, but he did what he always did: he turned on his CD player, as Led Zepplin blasted through the huge speakers set up. He cracked his neck as he walked toward his dresser.

He stripped down and put on a new pair of boxers and a white t-shirt. He knew his mom was going to leave soon, and then he would be alone. His dad was on a business trip, and his mom was going to be on one.

This wasn't new. He was used to being alone. Sometimes, he just wanted to be a normal teen, so he let the maids have a night off, and he did everything himself.

So, he decided to take a nice, long, shower, to clear his head.

When he came out, he turned off Zepplin and looked around the house; his mother was gone. He was alone.

He felt nice.

Kind, even.

So he excused the maids, and waited. For what, he didn't know. He waited for something to happen, guess.

Something big would happen. He needed it to. He needed... something. Something good. Something that would change him. Something that would just... change.

So he left the house, a green tea bottle in hand, and sat on the steps. Thinking. Clearing his mind.

He got so frustrated that he didn't know what to do. Questions were swirling inside of his head as he threw the empty glass bottle to the street and watched it shatter from the compact.

He closed his eyes and was left to his own rotten skull to think in. He walked into the house and laid down on the couch in the "family" room.

Tristan's eyes flew open as he heard the doorbell rang. He checked the clock, 9:37, it read. PM. When the hell did time race so quickly? He checked the position he was in. He was lying down. He must have been sleeping.

He got up and jogged to the door.

Outside was... _her_. But it wasn't _her_, it was someone who had more cuts and bruises on her than he ever seen.

"Rory?" he asked softly.

"Is the offer still open?" then she erupted in sobs.

A/N: got to leave it there, sorry guys. Longer chapters I think are going to be up in the next few.

Paige

PS. Review!


	6. Stay?

A/N: Sorry! I am so sorry for the long wait, but everything has been so screwed up lately, and I feel too crappy to write. My boyfriend of 9 and a half months and I broke up right after the last chapter I updated. I've been on the sidelines since, just reading stuff and not writing. But now I feel like writing, so I am. If you are reading this right now, I made a small change in this chapter from the last one. She didn't cry at the end.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Summary: Look at the last chapter.

Takes Place: Like, in the first season, kinda.

Chapter 6. Stay?

Rory: "Is the offer still open?"

She went limp, and snapped her hand to the doorframe, looking for balance. The migraine was going to be there for a while.

Tristan: "Rory? What the hell are you doing here? Come in, come in." He shushed her through the door and helped her walk, putting one of her arms around his neck.

He ushered her to the living room and sat her down.

Tristan: "I'm gonna get you a wet towel, to clean yourself off."

He left and while he was wetting the dishtowel, he realized she hadn't said much since he came. There was sure as hell a lot to talk about.

He walked back in the room where she sat, and saw she was rubbing her temples. He sat beside her and put the warm cloth on her cut-up skin.

She winced.

Tristan: "Rory."

Just like he had when she was on the bridge, flying.

Rory: "Don't yell." She huddled herself into a little ball, bringing her knees upto her chest and putting her chin on them. Her eyes were closed.

Tristan: "I'm not saying-"

Rory: "Stop! Stop yelling!" she put her hands over her ears and tears were coming from her eyes. "Please stop. I'll do anything..."

Tristan shook his head while his eyes grew with sympathy. She opened her eyes for almost a second, and Tristan saw that they were somewhere else. Way off in her memory, somewhere.

He grabbed her face and made her look at him.

Tristan: "Rory, I'm not making a sound."

She just looked at him with the tearstained eyes, looking so lost. She looked down into her lap, and didn't say anything.

Tristan: "Do you want something, hot chocolate, maybe?"

She mutely nodded her head and he fled from the room to get the beverage. When he got back, she looked up into his eyes and he saw tears. He immediately rushed to the couch and sat next to her.

Tristan: "Hey, what—what's wrong?" Great. That was a stupid question.

Rory: "I ..." some tears escaped and cascaded her cheek.

Tristan: "What can I do? Do you want anything?"

Rory quickly stood up, not knowing that it was a little too fast and she lost her balance again. He rushed to her side and held her hand, planting her back on the ground.

Tristan: "What was that about?"

Rory: "I—I can't be here." She started to walk away. "I'm sorry."

Tristan ran after her.

Tristan: "Wait!" 

She stopped right at the door. Her hand on the knob, but never turning. She was waiting for him.

Tristan: "Stay."

She twirled her head and looked at him, not turning her body. Tears were coming from her eyes, and she was breathing loudly.

Tristan: "Come on." He stayed at his spot, probably 3 yards away from her.

Her hand fell from the handle and she turned to face him. He walked toward her.

Tristan: "Tell me what happened."

A/N: sorry, but the next chapter will be up within the next week. Hope you liked this one. Review please. It's what keeps me motivated.

Paige


	7. I Just Wanna Be Loved

A/N: Thanks you guys for all the reviews. There was this one review from... "jalna" and I just want to say that I didn't understand anything you said. Sorry. Try again when you read the rest of this chapter. I swiched the name because... well, it'll make sense in the next few chapters. Don't kill me for the delay! I was gone for the whole week, then I came back sick, so I didn't feel like writing.

Takes Place: um... season 1-season 2 well, I guess, junior year.

Summary: look at chapter 1.

Disclaimer: Um... I'm greedy, but I don't always get my way.

Chapter 7. I Just Want to Be Loved

She scrunched her eyebrows, closing her eyes, thinking about the events that had happened with her and Ron.

Tristan watched her thoroughly, as she started to shake slightly. He saw her eyelids bulge and move fast. She was there. She was reliving it. And he could tell.

Rory: "I-I don't know where to start." Her eyes were still closed, trying to put it all into place. 

Tristan: "Just start from the beginning."

She took a deep breath.

Rory: "After a week of Madeline's party, I—I" She took a deep breath again. "started to want somebody again. Dean had made his decision pretty clear. I don't know. I just missed somebody to talk to... about things." She opened her eyes and watched her hands fidget on her lap. "I met him. He was the gentleman... back then." Tears dripped from her eyes. "Then, maybe a month and a half into it, he started to slap me," she shook her head, trying to think, "and about the stupidest things too, like not doing his laundry, or—or checking his homework for mistakes. I mean, sometimes, he would be really sweet, don't get me wrong. Putting white tulips in my locker. Writing a little note and slipping it into one of my books that he would hold. But late—lately he," she started to breath loudly, in and out. "When I got home after I talked to you, I—I was late, a—and I couldn't sto—stop him. He just kept hitting me..." the rest were muffled as she buried her head in Tristan's shoulder-bone, sobbing wet tears out on him.

After a few minutes trying to calm her down, Tristan felt her quiet up. She lifted her head off his body and looked at him, blue on blue.

Tristan, getting up from their spot on the couch: "Do you want your hot chocolate now?"

Rory: nodded, "Sure." She pursed her lips and looked back to her lap.

Tristan left and was back in a short time to see her in the exact position.

Rory: "I'm sorry about your shirt." She had said it very quietly; Tristan had to strain to hear it.

Tristan: "No, no, it can be washed." He gave her a soft smile, and then gave her his hand. "Do you want to sleep here? I mean, the rain is really going at it, so, you're probably-"

Rory: "Yeah, I'll stay."

Tristan smiled and helped her off the couch. He started to walk to another room and up the stairs. Rory followed.

Tristan: "Here's the guest room, it's the best one in the house."

Rory didn't even realize they were even at the top of the stairs yet. He opened the door and the couple (of people) stepped in. Rory's eyes darted around it, taking in all its beauty. But then, she just sat on the corner, looking down at her lap. Tristan sat down next to her and took her hands in his.

Tristan: "What's wrong, do you not like it?"

Rory looked up to him with pleading eyes. She closed her eyes and leaned in. She kissed him, right on the lips. You could say Tristan was doing somersaults right now. When he responded with the kiss, they both deepened it.

Rory started to fumble with one of his shirt buttons.

Tristan: "Rory, what you doing?" he had pulled away completely, but still sat beside her.

Rory, looking down: "I just want to feel loved again, Tristan." She looked back up into his eyes. "Is that so wrong?"

Tristan shook his head: "No," he whispered it.

He pulled her shirt over her head.

A/N: I'm not rushing it, I promise! Don't kill me. I know you all are thinking I am rushing it between them, but that's not true. Ok, things are going to make sense later, when you read the whole story. I know what I'm doing. I know what I'm doing so much right now, that I am already thinking what I can put in the sequal, once this story is finished. I know exactly how this story is going to go, so read on, please, and review, or I won't get the next chapter even up.

Paige


	8. Holding On

A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. I have so much stuff to do... well, I guess you probably aren't reading this, due to the fact that you just wanna get on with the story. Um... I think that you guys should know that I am changing the characters... especially in this chapter and on. I know that Rory and Tristan probably wouldn't do what I am going to have them do, and if you don't like it, stop reading it. But I am still going to write it.

Chapter 8. Holding On

Rory awoke with someone's arm draped over her bare waist. She tried to escape. "Oh, my god... Oh, my god..." she muttered quietly, but he woke up and held on to her.

Tristan: "Wait, Rory, calm down." He didn't want her to go.

Rory, with no energy left, she looked into his eyes with her own, tearful ones: "Tristan, he's going to kill me." She broke down in sobs, and he let her head go on his nude chest. This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to get emotionally involved. He was just supposed to quietly help her out, just on the sidelines. This wasn't supposed to _happen_.

Tristan: "Nothings going to happen to you... Nothing."

Later that morning, they were still in the same position, but Rory's tears had subsided. They were just laying there, her head on his chest, for what seemed like hours. Tristan had turned the TV on, but neither was really watching it. They were caught up in their own thoughts that seduced them so. Neither had said a word since that early morning, but both were content. Every word they needed to say, the other was feeling the same way.

Rory started to get up, holding the sheet and quilt up to her chest.

Tristan: "Hey, hey... where're you going?" He looked at her longingly, sympathetically, and confusingly.

Rory: "Well, we... aren't really doing anything... so... I thought... maybe it would be time for me to..." she stumbled over every word, and Tristan smirked inwardly at this.

Tristan, sitting up as well: "Ye-yeah, um... do you want to... take a shower, maybe?" He tried to make her feel more and more comfortable.

Rory bowed her head and curled up her lips ever so slightly.

Then she nodded once.

Rory: "Sure, I'd like that."

Tristan, smiling a bit: "Good, do you want... breakfast, when you come out?"

She nodded the slightest nod, and then they both stood, Rory, pulling the sheet around her, and Tristan, putting on his boxers.

A/N: Short chapter, I know, but I wanted to end there. I hope you know that Tristan (as I said before, he could be a little OOC) wants Rory to just forget about the situation they are in – for now. He doesn't want her to feel pressured to feel anything. Thanks for reading, and review. The next chapter will be up later.

Paige


	9. Behind My Back

A/N: I'm so sorry it's been this long to get this chapter up. I told you in the second to last chapter that I am already thinking about a sequel. Well, I've officially started it. Aren't you proud? So right after this story is done (which I am not saying is soon. I know we have so, _so_ many more chapters left) you'll have a sequel. And I know how I am ending this, so, I know you'll yearn for it. And you'll be so proud of me: I am on the 4th page of it and I am writing in size 11 font! That's long, right? Read on.

Disclaimer: you know the drill.

Summary: (Fill in the blank)

**Chapter** 9. Behind My Back

"This is delicious." Rory stated as she sat across the table from him.

"I'm glad you think so."

They stayed in the silence that captivated them so, as they have the past twenty minutes.

Finally, Rory spoke up: "What are you planning to do today?"

He looked up, surprised at the question. "I don't know; I was just planning to stay in the house."

"Oh…! You probably wanted to be alone, right? I could just get in my car and go if you want-"

"Rory."

"Hmm?"

"That wasn't a 'get-out-of-my-house' comment," he clarified.

"Oh, I just thought-"

"You think too **much**."

She bowed her head and played with her food on her plate.

He sighed. "Rory," he said in the calmest voice he could, "I think we need to talk."

She looked back up to him and stared at him like he was crazy. "I don't know… what to say." She even had trouble getting that out.

"Let's just analyze everything. Get everything clear."

"Everything is clear, Tristan! God, it was a mistake!" she started to stand up. "A damn mistake that shouldn't even have happened and I regret that it did because that means that I lost my virginity to someone like _you_. Excuse me."

She ran out of the house and into her car and drove off as quickly as she could, leaving Tristan staring blankly at her empty chair, breathing in gasps. What she said… what she said was breaking him.

Here he was, trying to get to the subject as most subtle as he could, and she thought it was a mistake.

- Later -

"Where _were_ you?" he asked as he watched her back up in her kitchen.

"I – I wasn't anywhere…" she was backing away from him, "I was upset… so I went to – to my grandparent's."

He quickly went up to her, and before she had a chance to get out of his way, he slapped her. She fell to the tile floor and cupped her face in her hands in shock.

"Don't even fucking try to lie to me. Don't you think I would have checked there?" He gave her a small smile. "Come on, Rory. It saddens me that you think I'm that brain-dead."

"I – I wasn't trying to imply-"

"Don't you fucking talk when I'm talking. What are you doing on the floor? Get up. You look like a dog. You might as well be one."

He "helped" her up with one yank.

"Now, we're going to go through this again." Her breathing was quivering with each of his words. "Where _were_ you last night?"

"I…" she didn't know what to say, "I was at a friend's house."

"Which friend?"

"You don't know them."

He walked toward her and she still backed up, but when she hit the counter, he was right there. He leaned into her and whispered into her ear: "If I find that you're fucking behind my back…"

He left her to daydream and exited the house in one swift movement.

She sunk to the floor in the corner and huddled up into a ball, rocking back and forth, trying to calm herself and her shaking body.

A/N: Kinda short, but I wanted to end there. I swear, I'll get more longer chapters up soon. I think this story is taking an R rated turn, with all the language. If you want it rated R to warn others, please state so in your review. Oh, and earlier, with Tristan. I want you to know that she is confused with what had just gone on and she doesn't know what to do about it. Review! It's where I get all my emphasis on my chapters. There was hardly any reviews last chapter, so, I wasn't very motivated… see what happens?

Paige


	10. Nephew?

A/N: Thanks to all of you that reviewed. Um… the rating has been officially changed to R so, just to warn you guys, but you really told me to, so I don't know.

Summary: Look at chapter 1.

Disclaimer: in means to bore you with this shit, I will say that this is not mine, and everything is not under my name. Please keep that in mind as you call the police for fraud.

Chapter 10. Nephew?

"Rory, where _were _you last night? You scared the hell out of me."

"Nowhere Mom, just out."

"Oh…" Lorelai looked down at her lap and played with her hands. When did she start feeling like the child here? "Well, Luke and his nephew are coming for dinner tonight."

This got Rory's attention. "What nephew?"

"He just moved here; his name is… oh, god, I forgot… it was a girls name though, I remember that."

"Oh…" Rory shifted in her seat on the couch in the house's living room. She had been sitting here the whole day, after she picked herself off the kitchen floor.

"Yeah… so, they're coming around six. Is that good with you?"

She looked at the clock above the TV. 4:42 PM.

"It's fine."

"Oh… kay, good. I'll tell Luke it's a plan."

"Kay," she said as she watched Lorelai get off the couch, taking the phone off the coffee table with her. Lorelai slowly walked to the kitchen.

Rory got up and walked for the first time in about 5 hours. She followed her mother cautiously, wanting to know what she was talking about.

"I don't know what to do about her, Luke. She's just… I don't know," there was a pause; "Maybe we should let them go off and talk. They seem to be in the same boat." Another pause. "I guess so… yeah… a tour? I'm sure she'll take the offer to get out of the house... okay, bye Luke."

Rory tried to act as if she wasn't eavesdropping and casually walk into the kitchen then to her room.

"He'll be here at six!" was the last thing she heard as she closed the door to the bedroom.

--Later--

She was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling as the door opened to her room and a young man came through, just about her age.

"Hi," he simply said, as he looked over at her and closed the door behind him.

"Hey," she replied in monotone, kind of sarcastic.

"Your mother said I should just come in…"

"Don't worry about it; I should have gone out of here before you came."

"Oh." He looked around and went over to her bookcase, letting his finger run over the titles. "This is really good," he said, taking a book out.

"Oh, I know, I just finished it over the summer." She sat up. Maybe this wasn't a waste after all.

They sat in an awkward silence, him looking at her books and her _watching_ him looking at her books. He pulled out another and searched every inch of it.

"I've been meaning to read this, I just hadn't."

"You can borrow it, if you want…"

He looked at her for the first time really looking at her. She was pretty. In the innocent, teacher's pet kind. But yet, he was intrigued.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." He left her bookcase and his glance went to her window. "So… do these open?"

"Yeah, you just have to undo the little latch there."

"So…"

"What?"

"Shall we?"

The sides of her mouth curved. "I've been waiting for the opportunity all night."

"Great," he gave her a small smirk.

"Just let me write my mom a note…" she got up and grabbed a piece of paper, along with a pen. She held the pen in her hand and hovered over the paper. Without looking up to him, she asked, "Tour around town sound okay?"

"Sounds just enough for them to buy it."

"Good," she left the utensils on the desk and grabbed a jacket. "Shall we go?"

"Definitely."

They escaped and walked a bit without really saying anything.

But he had to break it soon. "So… what's your name?"

"Rory. Yourself?"

"Jess."

"Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too."

They walked in a comfortable silence.

"So, you seem to like books."

"Well, I do," Rory stated.

"That's good… for girls… gives them sub-"

"Hey… Rory." A person from behind them said.

The two turned around suddenly, and Jess watched Rory's eyes darken and she suddenly became stiff. "Ron… um, you didn't say that you were coming by tonight…?"

"Just thought I could check up on you." He walked up to her and gave her a kiss on the lips. Rory didn't kiss him back.

But when they pulled away, she saw his eyes and Jess saw she kind of tensed up.

"You must be…?" Ron asked the boy that was still beside her.

"Jess," he stuck out his hand, but soon dropped it when Ron didn't return it, but just gave a solid huff of laughter.

Rory turned to Ron, but talked to the other body. "Jess, I think that we should get back to the house. Don't want to be late for dinner."

"Jess seems like a smart person, I think he doesn't need you to chauffeur him to where he needs to go… Besides, I thought we could go and talk in the forest. You know, where no one else is. Get away from the crowd."

Jess saw Rory panic. "I don't really think that's a good idea. Sookie is making a really big feast so I really think that I should be there…"

"Yeah, I guess so." Even the other teenager could hear the anger in his voice. "See you tomorrow. You can count on it." And with that husky comment, he was gone.

Rory's breathing was fast, and Jess heard it. "So… what was that?"

"That was my… boyfriend."

"Oh… you didn't seem… never mind."

They walked in stillness, back to the house. She never really did answer his silent question. For the reason of she simply didn't want to.

-- Later –

"Pass the potatoes, please," a voice from the other side of the table shouted. Jess and Rory were both at the end, and both in a conversation… well, not really.

"So…"

"So…"

"What kind of authors do you read?" Rory asked, wanting to know more about this person sitting in front of her.

"Um… classics, mostly… Benedict Flynn, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway-"

"Hemingway?! How can you honestly say you like him? I mean, don't you fall asleep after being two minutes into it?"

"No way! You have got to be shitting me. He is one of the most respected and talented authors in his time."

"Respected? maybe. Talented? not so much."

"So what…? Who are you into? Lewis Carroll?"

"… No… Mostly Mark Twain and Ayn Rand."

"Oh, my god! And you are criticizing me in _my_ choice of authors?"

"Yes… yes I am."

"Who can you say that actually likes reading Rand? I mean, besides the cable guy down the street?" he said sarcastically.

"His name is Pete."

"There really is a cable guy down the street?"

"Yes. Don't act all surprised. I'm sure you knew it."

He suppressed a laugh and smirked. "I was kidding."

"Well, welcome to our town."

A/N: Hah! That was long! I am so proud of myself. Um… don't worry, this is a trory. Nothing is going to go on between Rory and Jess. They are just going to be friends. So don't fret. Question, though. Is there really only seven people reading my story? God, if there is, there really isn't _any _point in writing long chapters. I can certainly hold off for seven fucking people. I want more reviews!

Paige


	11. Why Are You Here?

A/N: I love you guys. I do. Um… apology. I was just pissed off that day. That's it. I didn't mean to take it out on you. But thanks for taking my shit so well. I love you. I do.

Disclaimer: See last chapter.

Summary: See chapter 1.

Chapter 11. What Are You Doing Here?

He slapped her. No one was around to hear her cry of pain.

"Seriously, I thought you wouldn't have used that game. I thought you were smarter." He kneeled by her and grabbed her hair. "Get up!"

She did. She had a little blood dripping from her lip, a black eye, and he was only getting started.

"Come on, bitch. Why so silent? You sure as hell had a lot of tactics going last night."

"I didn't mean to," but she said it too soft and he pinned her to her bedroom wall.

"What did you say?"

"I'm sorry." She said louder.

"You better be sorry."

And he hit her. Over and over again. She couldn't do anything to stop it, but the phone rang while he was in the middle of his physical tirade. He stopped. She stayed curled up on the floor.

"Well, go get the phone. I'm not your slave."

She managed to pick herself up and stumble to the phone.

"Hello?" she tried her best to sound normal.

"Hey, Babe. I was thinking you could meet me at Luke's in 5?"

"Just a sec."

She whispered the situation to Ron, who just rolled his eyes, grabbed his jacket, and started for the door with no words other than, "I'm not through with you yet."

So Rory went back to her conversation. "Maybe in 10."

"Oh… kay. See you there." Lorelai hung up.

How the hell was she supposed to get herself fixed up?

-- Luke's –

She entered. She did a pretty good job. Although, there still was a little blood coming from her lip. She wiped it with her hand again.

She sat down next to Lorelai at the counter.

"So I was thinking-"

"So what will you have?" Jess came up.

"I'll have the-"

"Rory, what's wrong with your lip?" Lorelai asked?

"What?"

"It's bleeding…?"

"Oh!" She hadn't thought of what she was going to tell her mother. "I um… I was eating off a knife and… cut myself. I was being really stupid this morning."

"Oh… Luke!"

She moved to him, leaving Jess and Rory.

"What's with the lie?"

"What lie?"

"The one about the knife. Come on, no one is that stupid."

"Well… I told you, I was being really stupid this morning."

He handed her a napkin to wipe the blood. "It's two in the afternoon. It wouldn't still be bleeding if you hurt it this morning."

She looked up at him incredulously.

"I'm smarter than I look," he said plainly. She stayed quiet. "So, you going to tell me what it was?"

"Could I have some coffee, a burger and some fries?"

"Fine, have it your way."

"I will, thanks."

He went and got her order, than returned. "Read any good books lately?"

"Yeah, The Pearl by John Steinbeck."

"Oh. Do you recommend it?"

"I do to anyone that's looking for a good story about greed and lost dreams."

"Well, I'll have to check it out then, won't I?"

"I guess you will."

And they sat in their comfortable silence.

-- Monday Morning –

They had avoided each other, but when set in a group together Rory and Tristan couldn't help but steal glances. It seemed so surreal. Like all of this was a dream that was just shared with two people.

"Rory, Tristan?" Their heads snatched up at the same time. "Why don't you do it?"

"Do what?" Rory asked, nervous of what could come from her and him being in a pair.

"Be king and queen."

"Us?" Tristan asked.

"But why?" Rory asked.

"No one else is willing, and you two are the only ones that don't have a part."

"Is there _any_ way we can get out of this?"

"Afraid not. You either take it or leave the group. I am _not_ getting an F on this assignment because of you two."

Rory sighed.

- - - - -

They were paired up in an assignment. An assignment that they could not get out of. On one hand, Tristan was intrigued. He wanted to be with her every day of every week of every year. On the other, he was swearing his head off. How did they get in this position? Why was karma biting them in the ass?

"I guess we'll have to." He said to no one in particular.

-- After School ---

Rory got out of Ron's car with another bruise on her wrist and feeling alone, again. She entered her empty house, looking forward to a bath and some medication for her headache. When she entered the house, she immediately went to the bathroom cabinet and took three aspirin. Overdose is a funny, funny word.

As she walked into her room, she jumped a little at the being on her bed. But without saying anything, she went to the middle of the bedroom and took off her shoes. But he didn't move.

She burst at the silence. "Why are you _here_?" She stood firmly in her spot, but when he got off the bed and started walking toward her, she backed up, all the while looking into his eyes. She gasped at the sudden stop caused by her wall on the other side.

He took her face in his hands. He didn't expect this to happen, but he went down and kissed her thoroughly. She responded to him, kissing him back and coming off of the wall's support. They went into each other's arms, kissing hard.

He ripped her shirt off, as she did his. As he nudged her towards the bed, she deposed of his pants. He brought her down on her own bed, kissing her neck and chest as her uniformed skirt was detached from her body and got thrown onto the floor.

His lips went sown to her chest and hands went under her body and unhooked her black bra. That would also hit the floor soon.

-- –

He woke up and stared at her looking up at her ceiling. God, she's beautiful.

"What's wrong?" he asked rubbing his eyes.

"We did it again," she said quietly, a little over a whisper, still looking up.

"That's not so bad, is it?" Wrong thing. She got defensive.

"Yes, Tristan, it is. I know you have nothing to loose, but I do."

"The 'love' of your boyfriend?" he said, using air-quotes and sitting up slightly.

"No," she looked at him hurtfully (trying to hide it). She sat up a little too, wanting to level with him. "My pride."

He stayed silent and fell onto the pillow below him, sighing.

"Don't you trust me, Rory? Just a little?" He propped himself up on his elbow.

She then also fell on her pillow and tears swam to her eyes. Shaking her head, she said "Yes."

He caressed her cheek. "Then why are you crying?"

She looked up at the ceiling trying to stop the tears, but it didn't work. "Because I'm afraid of trusting you. Of what I'll give you. Of what you'll give me."

He went down and kissed her softly. "Does that make you forget?

She nodded, "Yes."

"Then that's all I can give you."

A/N: Woo-hoo! Another long chapter. Please review. Thanks.

Paige  



	12. Yet Again

A/N: Not as many reviews as I would like, but from what I did get, I was happy. Thanks a lot!

Disclaimer: Go ahead, go ahead. Call the police, but this statement I'm saying right here is my proof.

Reminder: Rory has long hair still. Remember?

Chapter 12. Yet Again

"How did you get here?" She asked quietly, her head on his chest, face up, looking at him. "I didn't see your car in the driveway…?"

Tristan started to play with her hands with his own. "I parked a little out of the town. Didn't want to give myself away with a fancy car, now would I? Luckily for you, you left your window slightly open; that's how I got in."

She played with his hands also. "How did you get here before me? I mean, he was blazing down the freeway. He probably had somewhere to be…"

"I skipped last period, changed my clothes…"

"Mm, you can copy my notes."

"Good."

They lay in silence the next few moments, thinking about what had just happened. They just had sex, _again_. How… did this happen? Tristan swore to himself that he was going to leave her alone. Just go back to his original thing. Not to get in the way.

"We should get up," Rory stated, getting into a sitting position.

Tristan closed his eyes at what he saw. "Rory…" he started, quietly, "what's on your back?"

She looked and winced. "Um… well, I…"

"He did it to you, didn't he?"

She got up, pulling the comforter around her. "It doesn't make any difference."

He sat up as well, picking up his boxers off the floor. "It makes _all_ the difference." He stood and put the cloth on.

"No, it doesn't."

He walked right up to her and stood in front of her. "Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it-"

"Why do you care, Tristan?! Why?! It's not like you're involved…!"

This made him fuming. "I am involved, Rory! I am!" Then he got right in her face and spoke softly through his teeth. "The moment I slept with you, it made me emotionally involved. So don't you fucking dare and say that this doesn't concern me, Rory. Because that's shit."

It wasn't until the end that he realized Rory was looking to the ground, tears in her eyes, threatening to come out. And he broke all over again.

He cupped her cheek in his hands. "Hey… don't cry," he said in his warmest voice. "Please… for me…?"

She responded to his touch. "Let's get dressed. I need to meet my mom at Luke's in ten minutes."

They did so.

"I guess I'll be going then…?"

She looked at him with the answer in her eyes, along with an apology.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He crawled out her window, leaving the way he entered.

She ran a hand through her messy hair thinking what she should do to do something, anything.

-- Next Day --

"Whoa… what… happened to you're hair?" Paris asked as she walked out of their first period class.

"I thought it was time for a change… do you like it?"

"It's… really short."

Paris was right. Rory had cut it. It was about to her chin now, but still held its strait-ness. Ron was going to have a fit when he saw, but she needed something different… something that was just… her.

"I know. And a hell of a lot easier to shampoo."

"I hope you don't have plans for this afternoon because we have a lot of work to do for this assignment."

"Tuesday… I'll just have to check something, and then I'll get back to you."

"Ciao." Paris walked a different direction.

All of the sudden Ron appeared by her side.

"God," she jumped.

"What'd you do to your hair?"

"I cut it."

"Did you consult with me, because I don't remember having a phone call…?"

"No, I didn't."

"Huh," he said it with disgust.

"I'm sorry, I should have," she gave up.

He nodded, his point being across. "How did you get to school today?"

"Mom's jeep broke, she took my car, thinking you'd pick me up. Since you didn't, I had to take the bus."

"Something came up."

And then he dismissed the matter.

"What did the bitch have to say?"

"Um… well, she said that our group in Peterson's needs to meet after school today. Is that okay with you?"

"Depends… who's in your group?"

"Paris, Madelyn, Louise, Ben, Riley, and Tristan."

"DuGrey?"

"Yes. That one."

He looked around and then snuck them into a corner off a locker section. "Is there any way you could get out of this?" With every word, he pressed up against her harder.

"I tried, she declined…" she lied, "You're hurting me."

He touched his hand to her face and stroked it. "I'll let you go if you promise me you'll be a good girl."

"I will."

"_Promise_ me," he demanded.

"I promise," she gritted through her teeth.

He pulled away and pulled her out to the hall once more with him, putting his arm around her shoulder.

While they walked, her eyes met up with another blue pair. She smiled with her eyes, not letting it come out of her mouth. He looked at her with questioning eyes, quietly asking her what she had done with her hair. She just walked passed him.

-- After School --

"So, Rory and Tristan, have you got something worked out?"

"What?" Rory asked, looking at Tristan, seeing the same confused face that was on her own.

"Well, you should at least get along together if we are going to make this work," Paris pointed out. "You two are going to have to spend a lot of time together, so you need cell numbers, a schedule… anything really…"

"Um, yeah… right," Tristan thought out loud.

"So, are you?" Paris asked.

"Are we what?" Rory asked back.

"Comfortable together…?"

"Well, um," the two looked at each other, "I guess so."

"Good, like I said, you are going to be spending a lot of time together."

They nodded.

-- After the Meeting --

"Do you need a ride?" somebody had asked her from behind.

She turned around and smiled slightly at who it was.

"I was going to wait for the bus…"

"The bus won't be here for a while. I'd hate for you to stay here that long…?"

She nodded silently, walking toward him.

"Come on, then; it's freezing out here." And with that he led her to his car.

When they both had gotten in, he turned on the heater and radio. When they started to drive, they heard that the freeway was 'bumper-to-bumper.'

"Do you mind if you come over to my house for a while? 'Till it gets cleared up?" Tristan asked.

"I guess not." She said quietly, looking out the window at the scenery. The rain just started.

They sat in silence the rest of the ride and when they finally pulled in the DuGrey residence, she asked, "Would you're parents mind?"

"No, they're not here."

"Oh."

They entered the outsized house, Tristan showing her to his room up the stairs. She followed without saying anything, remembering the last time she was there. She trailed behind him, until he got to his bedroom.

"Do you want to do anything? Like homework?"

"Could I… take a shower? I want to get Paris off of me." She chuckled a bit under her breath.

"Yeah, um… it's right there," he said, pointing across the room to the bathroom connected to his room.

"Thanks a lot." She said, putting down her backpack next to the wardrobe next to the door and hustling to the restroom to cleanse herself.

Tristan walked around his own room and then hit play on his stereo. The Killers played softly in the background as he sat at his desk and started on his homework.

About twenty minutes later, he heard the shower shut off. Then the petite girl that occupied the bathroom stepped out in only a towel. He gazed upon her.

"Um… I don't really want to change back into my uniform just yet…"

"Oh, um… clothes. Right, you need clothes." He stood and walked over and past her to the drawers on the other side of the room. He rummaged through them and pulled out some garments and started walking back towards her.

"I hope these will fit…" he had gotten close to her, he could feel her breath on him, "… you."

She took them out of his hands gently, not breaking contact with his eyes. "Thank you," she said in the softest voice possible and he couldn't take it anymore.

He kissed her… _again_.

A/N: I had to put the Killers thing in there. I mean, he just looks so much like he would be someone that would listen to The Killers, doesn't he? It took me _forever _to write this chapter. I was working on it non-stop whenever I would come on the computer. Well, anyways, this was long. I wrote in a smaller font and passed the spot where I usually end with the bigger font. So that's good, right? Review please. Oh yeah, um, you understand with Rory's hair, right? It's like, short. Let's just keep it at short.

Paige


	13. It's Not Working

A/N: Thanks for the reviews.

**Moirarioden**: I just love your confetti. I mean, all those colors. Must be fun throwing it at people.

**Tonia**: I am flattered.

**Smile1**: Oh, my god. Thank you so, so, so much for your review. I was _going_ to be in a good mood all day… but then my dad came in and shot the party house down. Sorry. But it's the thought that counts, right?

**Sooty7sweep**: I love The Killers too.

**Daphne-peneia**: I know abuse is illegal. Rory knows abuse is illegal. Tristan knows abuse is illegal. Hell, even Ron knows abuse is illegal. But you're right. It would ruin the story. And Ron has got her so freaked out on his threatening her, that she's too afraid to do so. Kay?

**Aphi72**: I would tell you when she would break up with him, but unfortunately, that would ruin the whole story, now wouldn't it? I can say that it won't be in this chapter though.

**Chapter 13. It's Not Working  
**

He was watching her sleep beside him. Her skin was soft to the touch of his hand draped around her waist. Tristan thought it was cute that she had her hand wrapped around his index finger like a daughter would do to a father when she was scared. She had the comforter taped to her chest. Somehow, this is how it always was.

This was their third time. And he cursed himself for counting.

She was beautiful, whether she knew it or not. She was. But, then again, he could be a little biased because he was fucking her. Still…

A piece of her hair fell in her face, restricting him from admiring her. So his reflex was to reach his hand up and brush it away. But he didn't think about the results.

She slowly came out of her reverie, he could see. And when her eyes opened, he prepared for… anything. A slap for doing this to her again. Her running away from him. Anything.

But he didn't get the response he had equipped for. Instead, he saw her eyes were soft and comforting. Not at all holding a grudge or bitterness. It was simply… her.

"Hi," she greeted, her eyes dancing.

-

To say the truth, she loved his touch. She couldn't refuse it. That's why because of that kiss, they ended up like this night. She couldn't decline him.

That's why she acted this way when she woke up. She knew they would probably end up the same way the next night, so she went along with it.

"Hey," he whispered back.

She let her eyes wander, and they came back to the same thing. She hesitantly brought her hand that was loosely encircling his fore-finger to his chest and ran the back of them on it. She stopped at his torso, and then brought her eyes back up to meet his.

-

God, she was getting him aroused by just touching him. This wasn't fair, what she was doing to him. He should be doing it to her, and then see how she likes it.

He knew they would have to talk sometime, about their situation that they were having, but that time didn't want to come just yet. He didn't want it to come at all. He loved her petal-soft hands, soft hair, intense eyes.

"Oh, my god. What time is it?" she said sitting up.

Here it comes. He was, after all, primed for it. Her sudden departure was coming. He could feel it. But he told her the time.

"It's… uh…" his eyes darted around the room, forgetting abruptly where he had put his alarm clock. Finally, he found it… beside his bed. "7:35."

"I've got to call my mom." She said and started to pick up the only cloth surrounding her to get to her backpack.

"Wait." She turned around when he spoke. Then he reached next to his clock and pulled out the cordless phone from its holder. "Here."

"Thank you," she said formally, as she dialed her number. "Hey Mom. I'm at Paris's… Well, traffic was really bad… all night… I have my cell phone, if you need… Yeah, tomorrow. Thanks, Mom. I'll see you later."

She hung up and gave the phone back to him, with a slight blush. "I know I didn't ask you, but I kinda told my mother that I would be staying the night."

He smirked. "At Paris's."

She chuckled, softly. "Yeah."

"You can stay as long as you want." Then he nodded his head in a way that was saying 'lay back down.'

And they both followed. But Rory wasn't comfortable. She tentatively set her head softly on his chest. He welcomed her, and put his arm around her back.

"You cut your hair."

"Well, thank you, Captain Obvious."

Then he said, under his breath, "You're welcome, Lieutenant Duh."

She smiled and sat up a little to look at him. "What!"

"What?"

"I've never heard of that one."

"What?" trying to play dumb, he asked.

She shook her head and lay back down.

"I like it," he said, finally.

"What?"

"Your hair."

"Oh… well, thanks."

Their silence followed.

But he couldn't withhold himself. "So, what'd Ron say about it?" And when he felt her tense up, he immediately swore mentally. "Oh, sorry."

"No. He just asked a few questions. That's all."

And stillness once again.

"I didn't know you liked The Killers."

The CD had been on repeat.

"Oh, um… well, I decided to try them, and it turns out that I did."

"Well, that's good. Checking out other… bands and stuff."

He could tell that she was just saying it because she was nervous, so he decided to nourish her.

"Are you hungry?"

"Just a little, but I don't expect-" But he was already starting to sit up, taking her with him.

"Come on," he said, putting on his boxers while standing up.

She looked around expectantly.

"Oh, right, you need clothes." He cursed at himself again as he walked to the pile of garments on the floor. He picked the clothing up and gave them to her. They were the clothes that he had sort of given her last night.

"Thank you."

And he turned around, putting on a plain white shirt while she was dressing. When they both were done, they went downstairs. She subtly reached out for his hand in the new set darkness. But Tristan felt just the same as he did before when she touched him.

When they got to the kitchen, he turned on the lights, but Rory held on. He smiled… a real smile. And he took the time to examine her. His wife-beater was loose on her, enough to see through the arm holes at her breasts. And his boxers, he saw, had been pinned up by a paper clip. She must have grabbed one while heading out the door of his room.

"What do you want?" he asked as she looked back to him.

"What do _you_ want?" Rory replied. She didn't know anything that he had, so she wanted the decision to be entirely up to him.

"I could go for breakfast tonight."

She smiled. "Sounds great."

"Okay, um… you could go over to that cabinet and get me some bread…?" he pointed.

"Sure," she walked over

When she got it, she turned back to him but he was closer than she was expecting. Standing right before her was the guy that she would let do anything to her.

-

He had purposely sent her to the cupboard so that he could follow her. He didn't want her to just get away without rising to the situation.

But, yet again, he didn't do what he had wanted. He went with his gut and kissed her. Full on, banging her on the cabinet wall, battling kiss.

He felt her push back on him, letting him do this to her. It all seemed so… surreal. Like he was doing this to another one of his many women, but instead, he actually cared that this one didn't go home with nothing but a memory. His stomach hurt for her when he saw her, and he couldn't stop it. He longed for her; ever since that night, anyways.

In a way, this… thing between them was a way to get their frustration out.

-

Too bad it wasn't working for her.

A/N: I know this chapter is long overdue, but I didn't know how to put this whole thing. You all know that this story is meant to be… a little on the dark side, and I'm trying to keep that at a steady pace. But when it's scenes like this… I don't know how to do it all. Review please. Tell me what you think. It's mostly what gives me the ideas and motivation for the next chapter.

Paige


	14. Mi Vida

Chapter 14. _Mi Vida _

Her eyes were closed as he sucked on her neck's flesh. They had traveled from one side of the kitchen the other and Tristan now had Rory pinned up against a counter.

"Tristan," she moaned, "we have to stop."

He showed no sign of comprehension. Instead, he traveled down to her collar bone and kissed there.

"Come on," she tried to reason. She gently pushed him away, but only to the point where he couldn't kiss her.

He begged her with his eyes. She retorted back with her own. He backed away, but still had her in his arms.

"You wanted something to eat?" he asked, acting like this hadn't interrupted them at all.

She smiled; her eyes sparkled. God, he could get lost in those perfect jewels.

"Yes, I wanted something to eat."

"Well, the restaurant is open for business."

"Good, now, I'd like some bacon, please, kind sir." She said in an accent.

"Well, mi lady, I'll try my best to make your wishes come true."

"Oh, my god!" She shifted out of his arms.

"What!" he asked. This was the second time that night she had scared him into thinking she needed to go suddenly.

"Ron…"

"He doesn't know…"

"No – I need to call him, to not pick me up tomorrow."

"Oh… well, the phone's-"

"No, I'll do it on my cell. He goes crazy when I call from other people's houses."

He nodded. His eyes turned dark. He turned on the hall light, signaling for her to go to his room and get her own phone. She did.

After a while, he went up there himself, no food prepared for either of them. He walked in on their conversation. She was pacing.

"God, Ron, I told you I was at Paris's…" she walked to the left, "Yes! I've only tried to tell you for the last…" to the right. "Why don't you fucking believe me?" She stopped and Tristan witnessed her own eyes grow shady and watched her bite her lip. "Yeah, I'll see you at school."

For the first time, she looked up and saw him standing in the doorway. He walked up to her hesitantly and enveloped her in a hug, trying his hardest to protect her, protect _them_. She gave into him.

-(Later)-

They were lying on his bed, him in just his boxers, and her in just herpanties. His alarm clock went off.

She moaned.

"I'm sorry; I have to go take a shower."

Another grumble on his chest. He chuckled a little.

"Why are you laughing?" she mumbled so softly, still in her dream state.

"Nothing, _mi vida_, I just need to take a shower," he said back to her.

"No…" she tightened her arms around his stomach.

"I have to…. You don't want me to smell, do you?"

She then loosened her grip and removed her head from his body. He kissed her forehead and left the bed.

-

Rory awoke to an empty bed. This was new. She squinted to look around the room. Nothing of importance. Nothing of value.

"Tristan?" she called out, softly. "Tristan?"

No answer.

Her lips pursed together and she sat up. At that time, the door to the bathroom opened.

She exhaled the breath she had been holding in.

"Hey," he said with a small smile. And when he saw her face relax, he asked, "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and let her mouth's edge to curve up. "I just thought… it's stupid."

He, with his towel around his waist, went over to her and sat next to her on the bed, facing her. His eyes pressured on her.

She finally gave up. "I thought you'd left me," looking down at her hands in her lap.

He had to chuckle. "Why would I do _that_?"

"I don't know, maybe you had found out how much a waste of time I am, found someone better."

"You know, I don't think that's possible." He started to go toward her.

"You don't?" she smiled fully now, also leaning into him.

"Nope." He closed the distance and she allowed him to enter her mouth, like he had done numerous times.

"I love when you do that," Rory whispered to him, their foreheads touching.

"I love that you can feel that way."

"I didn't mean to sound selfish…" she put her guard up.

"No, no, I didn't take it like that," he tried, "I just meant that I'm glad I can make you happy."

Her eyes hardened, but only a little bit, as if she was in thought. "Is that what this is…?"

He stayed quiet as she got out of the bed and started to dress in the clothes that he had given her the night before. She got a few feet away and faced him.

Rory shrugged her shoulders, "I guess it's been so long, I've forgotten what happiness was…?"

He broke. Stood. Shaking his head, "Don't say that…"

"No, Tristan, it's real. Before you came, I thought every relationship was like that. Everyone had their rough spots. Now, I put myself to shame… thinking like that."

He walked toward her and wrapped her up in himself. He hated to see her like this. So… uncomfortable… with everything going on.

He leant back, but just enough to see her eyes. "You know you can stop this. All it takes is one phone call, that's it."

She escaped from his touch suddenly, and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Don't ask me to do that. You _know_ I can't do that. You _know_. Why would you say that? What the hell is wrong with you?" Tears were now coming out of her eyes as she stood in front of him, having a breakdown.

He didn't know what to do. Crying girls he didn't know, he could handle. But Rory… she was different. He couldn't just fuck them and leave, hoping he'd made their day. No… he knew that he needed to stay… he _wanted_ to stay. He couldn't go through the day, knowing that he wasn't helping her.

"You're right. I don't know what I was thinking." He stayed at his position. He knew when to leave a girl alone, and this was one of these times.

She then looked up at him, her eyes softened to their normal state again. "Tristan," she hesitated, "I don't think just having sex is going to deal with this. I need… more. I need someone that I can talk to… someone that'll listen… and not turn it in…"

"I can _do_ that."

She touched her hand to his cheek. "I don't know if you can…"

It was his time to get confused. "Rory, don't let him do this to you! Don't you see? He's brainwashing you…! And for what _I_ can see, you're taking it. You're buying his crap that he's the only one you can have. Look at me – look at me!" he gestured. "I'm here! I'm here, _wanting_ to help you, and you're just pushing me away! This is what _he_ wants. Don't you see? I'm _here_."

He noticed now that she wasn't looking at him, but he stayed away. She needed to know. He wasn't about to apologize.

"Please don't yell at me," she said thought her tears, barely audible.

He approached her, cupping her cheek in his hand, taking the water touching it. "What has he done to you, Rory?"

She looked up at him for the first time after his rant. Still crying, "I don't know," she shrugged.

She plunged into his arms, wanting to feel him so bad. She needed to get away. She just had no idea how to do it.

-

"So, where were you last night?"

"I _told_ you, I was a Paris's."

He had abducted her from the hallway, and pulled her into their now empty first period class. Rory had made Tristan drop her off around the corner of the school so that Ron, if he just happened to be there, would not see them. She also didn't want someone telling him through the grapevine.

He forwarded to her. "You know, with you, I never know when you're telling the truth. So I make it so I _know_. Paris, you know, the one that you said you were spending the night with, had no idea what I was talking about when I called her last night." He slapped her. "How do you explain that, huh?"

She tried to tuck her head in her shoulder, restricting him from looking at her. But he made her look back at him.

She stressed, "I was… at a friend's house."

He hit her again. "Would this be the same friend that you've been seeing quite a bit lately?"

"Yes, it would."

And he slapped her again. "Whoever it is is going to _leave _you. You're incapable of loving. You don't deserve it. I'm the only one that will take you. The only one that will give up _my_ valuable time and be with you. This person won't be around for long. You can count on it."

He hit her a couple of more times, then the bell rang. As people entered the room, he sauntered back to his seat, leaving her.

"Miss Gilmore?"

She finally came out of her reverie. "Yes?" she answered the teacher, standing in front of her.

"Would you like to go to your seat and get away from mine?"

The class giggled as she dragged her feet back to her assigned chair. Tristan eyed her. This was going to be one hell of a day. Year. Life.

A/N: I love the Phantom of the Opera. I just go the soundtrack to it. It's so good! I'm seeing it for the fifth time this weekend. I love it.

Review please. I haven't been getting reviews lately. Like, any.

Paige


	15. What is This?

Dedication: to _Phi_, because you inspired me to do this fast(er).

**Chapter 15**. What Is This?

The Next Week - Thursday

Rory walked out of her fifth period class. Ron plastered by her side. She saw Tristan by his locker and smiled at him with her eyes.

Ron saw how Tristan had looked at Rory, so when he was passing by, he shouldered him hard. Instead of just letting it go, Tristan pulled on Ron's shoulder and socked him in the face.

Ron rammed Tristan into the lockers. They broke out into a fight.

"Stop! Stop!" Rory yelled. She tried to step between them, but Ron pushed her away to the ground beside them.

After a few moments, a couple of teachers picked them off of the ground they were currently wrestling on.

"What is going _on_ here? Who started this fight?" When nobody answered, the adult looked upon Rory.

Rory looked into Tristan eyes. He gave her a look saying that he knew what she had to do.

Slowly and looking upon the ground, she pointed up at the boy. "Tristan did."

"Come with me, sir." The man said. People love calling guys 'sir' when they really mean 'asshole'.

The student went, as did the crowed, and Ron put his arm around Rory and kissed her temple. "That's my girl," he said.

(Later)

"Can I get three coffees to go?" Tristan asked. He knew Rory would like something to cheer her up.

The guy behind the counter, about as old as himself, began filling the Styrofoam cups. "Three…?" he said. "Why would you need three?"

Tristan blinked. "I have another person to share it with."

"Oh-"

"Tristan…!"

Tristan turned around to see Rory standing in the doorway of Luke's diner.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You know him?" the guy that was behind the counter asked.

"Jess, this is Tristan, a guy from school. Tristan – Jess." She said, pointing to the correct subject.

"Sorry for giving you a hard time for the three cups," he looked at Rory, then back to Tristan, "now I know why."

"At least I don't consume five cups a morning."

"Like your mother."

"Hey, my mother is…" she trailed off, "… addicted."

"So you admit it!"

She bowed her head in mock defeat. "Yes."

"Well, I best be going," Tristan hinted to Rory.

"Well, I'll see you later…?" She implied back.

"Maybe."

He took the cups, in a four cup-holder, and left, making the bell jingle above the door.

"I wouldn't associate him with you." Jess said.

"I know, he just has a locker next to mine. He's pretty nice once you start talking to him. You guys would get along perfectly."

"Oh, sure," he said skeptically.

"I mean it. But I have to go, so I'll talk to you later, I guess."

"Coffee? Isn't that why you came here?"

"Oh – right. One cup please – to go."

"Coming right up."

Once she got her cup, she made her way home. She walked calmly through the front door, and drank the last of her coffee.

She walked into her room.

"Hey there," she seductively said.

Tristan stopped looking at her book collection and turned his attention to the blue-eyes beauty in front of him.

"Hi," he said in the same tone. Tristan started to walk toward her and when he got close enough, he put his hands on her face. "When's your mom coming home?"

"She's not. Sookie just got in a fight with Jackson. She's wallowing."

"Good." And then he kissed her.

After they were done pouring their spit down the other's throat, they pulled away.

"I thought you would get here earlier. It's nearly eight."

"I had to explain to my father about my suspension."

"Suspension! Is that what they gave to you? After a harmless fight…"

He smiled. "You get what you pay for. That was some fight."

"You didn't have to do it, you know," she tried to bow her head, but Tristan, his hands still caressing her face, wouldn't let her.

"I couldn't see him with you, I guess."

"Tristan…?" she asked gently.

"Hmm?"

"Since we've been doing… this, I've noticed you've not been with other girls."

"I don't need other girls-"

"It's okay if you want to. I mean – I have a boyfriend. You can have a…"

"But I don't want them!" he shouted, taking his hands of her face to put them in the air. "I want you."

Then he lowered his hand to the bottom of her shirt, going along with their original routine. But Rory stopped his hand from even going under her shirt.

"What?" he asked her softly.

"I… can't… tonight."

He looked at her concerned. "What…"

She smiled sadly. "Just not tonight, okay?"

"Rory…" he smiled at her and tried again.

She, again, pushed his hand away. "Tristan," she warned.

"Come on," he tried to pull her closer so he could kiss her, but when he pulled on her petite waist, he heard her breath catch in her throat. She backed away, tears gathering behind her eyes.

He finally got it. "Rory let me see it."

"Tristan-"

"No – damn it, Rory!" he gritted through his teeth, "Let me see what he did."

She knew that she wasn't going to win, so she let him take the edge of her shirt and pull it up.

"Oh, my god," was all he could say.

The dark purple bruise followed from the middle of her stomach, to the right, to same point on her back, and about seven inches wide.

Tristan clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. He couldn't look at it anymore.

"Tristan, really," she pleaded. "It's not that bad. It doesn't even hurt all that much."

Tristan didn't say a word as he looked around looking for something to hit. He settled on the bed.

The tears escaped as she saw him fist.

"Please don't do that."

He didn't realize until that point what punching something did to her.

"I'm sorry," he didn't know what else to say.

She dismissed the matter. "Maybe this is good for us," she said on a higher note. "You know, not having sex whenever we see each other in a room that has a bed…? Maybe we can realize something that's there…"

He smiled. "What do you think is going to be 'there'?"

She bowed her head, embarrassed that she was the only one who had been wondering it. "Maybe there is some… emotional attachment… there."

He laughed quietly. Then he picked her chin up and kissed her softly. "I know there is. I feel it when I talk to you."

"I have so many doubts, Tristan... about everything."

He put a finger over her mouth. "Shh. I know. But the only thing that is going to overcome that is actually living it. I'm in, Rory. I'm here. I want _you_."

(Later)

Rory lifted her head off of his chest and looked at his sleeping face. She smiled. They didn't have sex. For the first time. 

She exhaled. This was perfect. Just sleeping beside him, waking up next to him. She loved it.

She rubbed her fingers on his chest, wanting him to wake up.

He did.

"Hey, _mi Vida_."

"Hey, you." She pulled herself up and kissed him sweetly. "I want to do something today," she said randomly.

"Like what?" his eyebrow rose.

"I don't know. Anything!" she climbed out of the bed, clad in white top and purple underwear. She smiled, "Let's just be together."

"What about school?" he still doubted.

"You don't need to go, you're suspended."

"Ah, but you have to go."

Her smile faltered. "Tristan…? Don't you want to just go…? Just be a couple? Just be us?"

"You know I do."

Her face lightened up. "Then let's do it!"

He couldn't say no when she was this excited. When she was this happy.

(Later)

"Woot!" she shouted, in her upright position, at the motocross show.

Tristan, from his seat, laughed. Rory turned around and smiled, embarrassed. She sat down with him.

"So, you like it?" he asked, pointedly.

A small smile came to her face, as did a blush with it. "It's awesome!"

"I'm glad you're having fun."

She kissed him. In front of the world.

"This is our song." She informed him, making him listen to the faint sound in the background.

"Iron and Wines take on The Postal Sevice's _Such Great Heights_?"

"Yes. This one."

He smiled. "I like it."

"It does have a ring to it, doesn't it?"

"It does indeed."

"Do you realize that that's the first time we've kissed in public."

He kissed her again. "I'd do it forever."

She blushed again and started to cheer for the racers.

(Later)

"That was the best movie ever! Come on, Tristan, sing with me!" she begged with a smile, as the came out of the movie theater. 

"I'm not going to sing. It's a good movie, but I don't want to look like an idiot."

"Not even for me?" she gave him a million-watt smile.

She began to sing.

" - _Masquerade! Paper faces on parade_ -"

and it was at that point that Tristan let down his guard and started to sing with her.

" - _Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you._"

She smiled and shrieked, kissing him on the cheek.

Tristan told her to wait there and she followed him with her eyes to where he was going. She smiled more, if it was possible, as he came back with a white daisy.

"For _mi Vida_."

She kissed him. When they were done, she thanked him. And they started to walk back to his car, which was down a few blocks.

They both had a wonderful day. It was just them, and not another care in the world.

A/N: I hope you liked the longer chapter. Here are the lyrics to Such Great Heights, which I was referencing in this chapter.

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles  
In our eyes are mirror images and when  
We kiss they're perfectly aligned  
And I have to speculate that God himself  
Did make us into corresponding shapes like  
Puzzle pieces from the clay  
And true, it may seem like a stretch, but  
Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled  
Head when you're away when I am missing you to death  
When you are out there on the road for  
Several weeks of shows and when you scan  
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great  
Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say  
But everything looks perfect from far away,  
'come down now,' but we'll stay...

I tried my best to leave this all on your  
Machine but the persistent beat it sounded  
Thin upon listening  
That frankly will not fly. you will hear  
The shrillest highs and lowest lows with  
The windows down when this is guiding you home

They will see us waving from such great  
Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say  
But everything looks perfect from far away,  
'come down now,' but we'll stay...

Thanks to  to you all who review. I love it! Next chapter, a few months down the line. Hope you like that.

Paige


	16. Alliteration

Chapter 16. Alliteration

_She walked into the school's bathroom, holding her foundation and powder in her hand. From this morning, he had left a bruise. Damn him._

_Rory applied the makeup. She didn't think it had gotten this bad, until Tristan pointed it out to her earlier. She reprimanded herself for not stopping it before. She hated herself._

_As she pressed her finger and smoothed the concealer by her eye, tears began to form. They fell._

"_Hey," a person held her from behind, "don't cry."_

_She smiled. "You're not supposed to be in here. They have one for boys too."_

"_Oh, but I've always been fond of this particular bathroom," he smirked._

"_And why's that?" she asked as she turned in his arms, facing him. _

"_Well, nobody really comes in here… there's a lot you can do in a neglected bathroom…" he winked._

"…_Really? Like what?" she said, already knowing the answer. _

_He smiled mischievously. She returned the smirk. He led her into the empty stall._

She smiled at the memory as she entered the diner. That had been a few months ago. She still, to this day, could not believe they had sex on school grounds and didn't get caught.

She ran into a familiar figure. "Coffee?" she asked him.

"Rory, it's going to give you a heart attack one day. You might as well stop now, while you aren't as addicted as Lorelai."

"When I end up in a hospital, then you can blame her. But right now…" she said as he went behind the counter and she sat on the stool in front.

He handed her the mug and poured the liquid into it.

"Hey!" she protested. "I only have one cup a meal. That's hardly any, Jess."

He bowed his head to think. "You're right."

"Hah! I am, aren't I?"

"Now, now, don't gloat."

She just smiled and when she couldn't control it anymore, she giggled.

"You're still doing it!"

The bell above the door rang and Jess's eyes strayed. "Tristan, don't ask for coffee."

"Why would I do that?" he asked as he sat by Rory. "It tears apart your insides."

Jess pointed an accusing finger at Rory. "See?"

Rory just continued sipping the coffee mug in her hands and shrugged her shoulders.

Jess started, "I'm reading this really confusing book. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls…?"

Rory's brows furrowed to answer to his unasked question.

"I've read it," Tristan said.

"Did you get it?" Jess asked.

"A little the first time. But I had to reread it, to fully acknowledge it. The first part is really annoying. Walls just go over her life. It's boring. But once you get past that. It's really good."

"Really?" Rory asked.

"…Yeah."

It's been this way for the last month. Jess and Tristan became instant friends when the met at the diner one day. Rory could just say to Ron, which she has, that Tristan is friends with Jess. It was foolproof.

"I guess I'll have to read it after you," she said to Jess.

"I'll lend it to you, if you promise to return it."

"When have I done anything but?" she put on an innocent smile.

Tristan laughed.

"It's true!" Jess persuaded. "She still has my copy of The Metamorphosis of Ovid! I want it back," he told Rory.

She still had her smile plastered to her face. Jess started to clean up around the diner.

"Well, it's at home. I'm not finished with it…"

"You've had forever!"

"That's silly – you haven't known me for forever." She smiled innocently.

"You're going to kill me."

"It'll be the best day of my life, believe me, baby."

"Alliteration?"

"I try my best."

"I can see."

"Um…" Tristan politely drew the diner boy's attention to him.

"What?" he asked.

"A burger please. And I think your two's bickering is worrying the customers."

"We do it all the time," Rory stated.

"It _scares_ them all the time," he bluntly put out.

"Oh, please."

"Asking for mercy already, _mi Vida_?"

"_Mi Vida_?" Jess asked. He knew that was Spanish for 'my love.' Yes, he actually attended some classes here and there.

Tristan and Rory exchanged glances. "You know Tristan; this is another annoying name for me."

"You don't like it?" Tristan asked her, clearly playing.

"Well, it doesn't really spread what our relationship is really about…" she stated.

"And what is it, exactly?"

"Well," she started, "there's you… and then there's me."

"Excellent mind you got there, Gilmore."

"It's full of ways to shut you down, Tristan."

"As if you could ever…"

"Oh, I think I could without a doubt."

He touched his heart in mock hurt. "You wound me, Mary."

"Deal with it."

"That's all you've got to say?"

"Well, there's that, and then there's 'get the hell out of my town if you're going to call me that name'…?"

"I'll take the first, thank you."

"See, I know you more than you think."

"Kinky."

Rory rolled her eyes.

"Well, how do I know you don't stalk me secretly and look at me right after I took a shower?"

"In your dreams, DuGrey."

"Well, in my dreams, you're in the shower with me," he said it like it was the obvious thing in the world.

They heard Jess shout, "Whose is this? Look in front of you. If there's nothing there and should be, this is probably yours."

Rory giggled at how Jess chose to tackle that trouble.

The bell above the door jingled again. Rory casually looked over and immediately stood and walked over to who just walked in.

"Ron…! I didn't know you were coming up today."

"I just wanted to see you." He tried to be the perfect boyfriend in front of the town. "Since it's Saturday, we wouldn't see each other at school."

Rory internally screamed. She hated seeing him. She was having the best time with her two favorite guys, and here he has to go and ruin it.

"Come sit down, eat." She tried to make him happy.

"I though we'd go to your house. I haven't been inside for a while."

"But… I just got food. I want to eat it."

She looked at him, and when he gave her the approval, she went back to her seat at the counter.

"Where's your 'food'?"

Rory panicked. Tristan saw and helped her out.

"Sorry for taking this, Ror," he gave her his cheese burger, "I couldn't resist the fries."

"No one wants you hare, ass wipe," Ron told Tristan.

Tristan stood, ready to fight. As did Ron.

But before they got to each other, Rory stepped in front of Ron. "Hey! How about we go to my house, like you wanted…?"

He exhaled, his jaw clenched. "What about your food?"

"Oh, I'm not hungry, after all… go figure," she smiled in hope.

"Fine, let's go."

Once they left, Tristan sat back down. He knew what they were going to do back at her house.

"Hey, you can have your food back," Jess informed him.

"Thanks," he moved the plate back in front of him and started nibbling on a fry.

"Why'd you do it?" he casually asked.

"Do what?"

"Give her your plate like that."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't want her to be caught in a lie."

Jess exhaled and smiled. He knew Tristan liked her. He chuckled a little and went back to work.

A/N: So, that's their lives now… hope you liked it. I took no time writing it, it just kind of got down freely. Am I loosing the sense of… darkness in this story? I feel that I am. Tell me what you think. I have not read The Glass Castle as I had mentioned in this chapter. I'm sorry if I said anything that wasn't true about the book. I was just making conversation. The next chapter will not come as fast as this one, seeing how I started this one when I was in the middle of the last chapter. I hope you liked this. Review please.

Paige


	17. Falling

A/N: Oh, my god. Okay, thanks to one reviewer (I don't know your name, you were anonymous) _Mi Vida_ means 'my life,' _mi Amo_ means 'my love.' I'm so sorry for those of you that were confused. I don't know how I messed that up…? I'm in my first year of Spanish… that's probably why. Anyways, I'm going to go back to the last chapter and say 'my life.' And keep it _mi Vida_. Thank you so, so much.

Chapter 17. Falling

_They fell on the bed, Rory expecting Tristan to do his thing and remove her clothes, like he had done the past few weeks. But this was different. _

_He looked up at her with his eyes sparkling. He didn't kiss her, just looked at her with those beautiful eyes._

"_Do you want to know something?"_

_Rory's eyes widened in curiosity. _

"_I love you."_

_Her smile faded in surprise. She didn't speak._

"_So much," he tried to persuade her._

_She struggled with her words. "I… I don't know what to say."_

"_Don't say anything. In fact, I'd rather you not. I want you to just know. I don't want to rush you into anything you don't want to say." He pushed a strand of hair off of her face._

_She responded into his touch and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she smiled and kissed him softly. "Thank you."_

_She didn't say anything else, and he wouldn't have it any other way._

He laughed bitterly.

"I mean it. You can't hurt me anymore."

He smiled mischievously. "Can't I?"

She backed up while he was forwarding to her. "No," she hit the back wall, "you can't."

He slapped her. As she tried to get out of his grasp, he ran after her and took her waist and slammed her into the wall. She whimpered. "Rory," he started as he strolled around the kitchen, "you're pretty smart…. I just wonder how you could be so stupid around me. Did I do something?"

Tears escaped from her eyes, even though she tried desperately to keep them in. "No," she whispered.

He walked back up to her. He sighed, "Rory, Rory."

"What?" she probed.

"You better watch out what you're saying. Maybe, sometime, I'll test it out."

Then he left, and for the first time in a couple of hours, she felt as though she could breathe again.

She stumbled to the couch and fell onto it.

(Later)-

She woke up with a jolt. A knock on the door.

Rory walked and opened it. She smiled.

"Movie night," they said in unison.

"I need one, come in," she ushered.

"We have _Abandon_ and _Double Jeopardy_. Along with a bunch of junk food, we know how much you can consume on an 'on' night," Jess said, setting up in the living room.

"I'm going to make coffee," Rory headed back to the kitchen.

"I'll help." Tristan followed her.

Once they were away, he cradled her from behind, his arms around her waist. "Have you been crying?" he asked, noticing her flushed cheeks before.

She shrugged, waiting for the coffee to warm up. She stared at it.

"Rory…?"

"Hmm?"

Tristan hated to see her with Ron. Sometimes, he couldn't even stand it. He had to look away from Rory's playing eyes. He knew she felt upset. But he hated that she didn't see what this "relationship" was doing to him. She was so happy, though. He could tell. But he hated that he was under her spell.

He sighed. "Nothing."

(Later)-

Lorelai trudged into her house, trying not to burst out laughing at the scene in front of her.

The three were on the couch, sleeping, Rory in the middle. The two boys' feet were on the table in front. Rory's legs were draped over Jess's, her head on Tristan's lap. Tristan's head was resting on the couch's arm, in the crook of his own arm. Jess was in an awkward position, bending over Rory, his head on her side.

Lorelai couldn't help it. She ran upstairs, got her handy, dandy, little, digital camera, and shot the trio. She smiled at her work and went back up the stairs to go to bed herself.

_A rap on the door was in the background. Rory heard it in her dream state. She murmured incoherently into Tristan's naked chest. She could hear he was asleep._

"_Rory…" someone called her. "Rory…?"_

_She pushed the voice out of her mind and tried to get back to her sleep. But her bedroom door was being knocked on. _

"_What!" she shouted, not thinking about her state of dress, or rather, undress._

_The door opened, and her eyes widened at the figure that was in the door. _

_She covered herself up, as she tapped on Tristan's chest with her hand, trying hard to wake him up. Once he did, she looked up to the door at the other widened eyed male, then back to Tristan, just to, again, look back up to Jess._

"Please, understand."

He laughed. "Understand?" He got mean, again. "Understand!"

She took the sexy lingerie out of his hand. "It's just something my mother gave to me as a joke! It's nothing!"

"You whore! I knew it!"

"You don't know anything! This _isn't _anything. This is just a misunderstanding. If you'd just listen for once-"

It was, of course, a gift from Tristan.

"No," his voice growled. "You listen to me. If you can bitch around with others, you can bitch around with me."

She panicked. "What? What do you mean?"

"Put it on."

She saw his eyes.

"Ron…?" she pleaded.

"Put the fucking thing on!"

She did, her tears streaming freely on her face.

He took her hands and made her take off his jacket.

"Please," she pleaded, "please don't do this."

"You did this to yourself."

"Please, Ron," he made her take of other articles of his clothing, "please."

He forced her on the bed as she sobbed. She wanted this whole thing to be over with. So she let him rape her. There was nothing she could have done. Nothing.

She was left huddled in a ball on her bed, stripped. Ron dressed quickly after the deed was done, about only an hour since he had gotten there.

Rory knew that Tristan would drop by. She needed him. He was always there for her. He's the one that taught her how to feel again.

But hours passed and Tristan didn't come… and that's what hurt her the most.

(The next day)-

She needed to see Tristan. She needed to. She needed to hug him, and make love to him, and feel again what it was like to want to have sex again.

She walked down the halls at school, drifting in her mind. She could stop thinking about the last night. How it hurt so much, how he took everything of hers. Her pride, her dignity.

She walked out into the courtyard. She finally saw him. He looked at her with exhausted eyes and she clued him to go to their usual place, behind the school, right next to the fence, where no one went.

He got there before she did and when she saw him up close, she saw something else in his eyes, not exhaustion.

"Hey," she put her hand next to his cheek, "Baby, what's wrong?"

He pulled away and she tried to caress him once again. He grabbed her wrist and hastily threw it back at her.

She began to get tears in her eyes. "Wha-What?"

"Stop it, Rory. Just stop."

"Stop what! What am I doing?" Tears escaped and streamed down her drained face.

"We can't do it anymore."

What was left in her world came crashing down.

"_I_ can't do it anymore."

"Tristan…?" She sobbed, "What?"

"Rory, please. We can't. Whenever I see you with," he gritted his teeth, "_him_, I can't stand it. I can't. I just can't."

"Tristan, _please, please_!" she pleaded. "Just tonight. Please, just_ tonight_!"

"I'm sorry."

"Wait!" she called as he started to turn. "Please, please don't do this."

"It's something that has to be done."

And he left. Just like that.

"_I love you too," she finally got it out._

"_Rory, don't say anything you're not ready to say. Please."_

"_I know it! I do!"_

_He smiled and leaned down to kiss her._

"_I love you so much, Rory. I'm never going to go."_

She finally knew what she needed to do. She needed to break up with Ron.

A/N: Really fast, I know. But it needed to happen like this. There will be just one more chapter for this story. Maybe I'll split it into two. What do you think? And then it's on to the sequal! I'm so excited. Review!

Paige


	18. Tears of Freedom

A/N: Well, here it is… The story is coming to an end. I'm almost crying. But I'm excited to get the sequel out, I've been working on it since chapter eight. Have fun reading! Oh, **shrtscrqt**, he didn't find about _them_, but he jumped to conclusions when he found the slutty underwear. He raped her. He raped her well.

Chapter 18. Tears of Freedom

_They had gotten into another fight, her and Tristan. It was the last night. She had to leave his house, it was so bad. Now, she couldn't even remember what it was about. She didn't want to think about it._

_She sat up in her bed and sighed. Ashe grabbed her cell phone, and turned it on. When the screen came up, it said she had a message from Tristan. _

_She sighed, but still pressed the button to hear it._

_She cried suddenly when she finally put it to her ear. He was strumming on the guitar and singing. "I am thinking it's a sign / That the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned."_

_When she finished listening to the message, she called him back, sobbing._

"_I thought you'd like it," he said, no 'hello?'_

"_I love you so much."_

"_I love you more."_

"_I don't think it's possible."_

"_Sure, it is."_

She was right there. On the bed, sleeping. She looked dead. She might as well have been, after what Ron had done to her.

She opened one eye slowly, her other being swollen from a bruise. He rubbed little circles on her hands as he was holding them.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "What (pause) are you doing (pause) here?"

He could tell it was hard for her to get just those words out.

It hurt him as much as it hurt her.

"Come on, Rory," tears were in his eyes, "You know I care about you."

"But – But," he saw the tears in her eyes as well, "You left!"

He could hardly hear her voice, it was so hoarse.

"Do you need water?"

"I saw you leave. I saw you." The tears fell onto her cheeks and streamed down her face.

"Here," he handed her a glassful.

"You said you loved me – you said you wouldn't leave."

"Drink, I can hear how dehydrated you are."

"Why are you avoiding talking about it?" She drank from the plastic cup.

"Rory, I need you to understand. Please."

"How can I understand? You lied to me," she was choked up on her tears.

"Rory, _please._ I couldn't do it. You have to understand. It hurt too much. I got too emotionally involved."

He looked down at his hands, now in his lap.

"Why was that so bad?"

He stood hastily. "Because you had a boyfriend waiting for you. He might have been a son of a bitch, but you were his."

She winced. "Ow," she touched her stomach.

Tristan ran out to the hallway and called in a nurse.

"Well, good afternoon Miss Gilmore. I see you're finally awake. You have major bruises on a god fraction of your body. One of your rib bones has been fractured. That's why you have to stay here, your grandmother insisted on it. I need you to stay in this position that we have you in. Is that okay?"

Rory nodded.

"Good. Now, we injected you with some medication, but it doesn't really ease the pain away. You'll have mood swings also. Would you like to have me find your mom?"

She sighed. "Yes please."

The nurse smiled one more time and exited the room.

"I'm not anybody's possession. Not even yours. Well, anymore."

"You're right."

They stayed silent for a few seconds.

"You made me feel. And then you hurt me…."

"Rory! God damn it! Seeing you with him was tearing me apart! To the point where I would be depressed unless I was with you alone. Do you _know_ that feeling?" A tear fell down his cheek.

"Yes, Tristan, I do. I felt it when I was with you. Why do you doubt so much?"

She suddenly erupted in uncontrollable sobs.

His face immediately turned to sympathy. He quickly went to her side. "Hey, baby, what's wrong? What's wrong?"

He tried to see to some place where he could cradle her, but there was none. Ron had beaten her up pretty bad.

"It just hurts so much…"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid it's going to hurt for a long time." He sat next to her bed. "Rory, why'd you do it? …. It was so stupid…"

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. She paused and just gazed into his eyes. "I just wanted to be with you," she whispered.

"Rory!" Lorelai broke through the room, almost in tears.

Tristan sighed and stood, yet again, on the sidelines.

Later

He held her hand as they talked. It was the first time she had seen him in a while.

"I got you some books from your house."

"You did?"

"Yeah," he took some out. Consisting of The Metamorphosis of Ovid. She chuckled a little.

"Ow, don't make me laugh, Jess."

"I'm not trying to; I simply made a friendly gesture, bringing you these great, fine, pieces of literature."

She smiles up at him. The bruise on her eye has gone down and it's only been a couple of days.

He turns serious. "They treating you well?"

"As well as anyone could."

He nodded. "Good."

She returned the nod.

"Tristan was talking to me and he said that the police had asked multiple times to talk with you. Tristan's paying them off for the time being…. You have to speak with them sometime."

She bowed her head. "I don't think I can without…"

"You're tough, Rory. You can get through anything. Just look at your position now."

She smiled as much as she could. "Thank you."

"Anytime, babe, anytime."

He kissed her forehead and exited the room, seeing Tristan waiting patiently by the window.

"How is she?" Tristan asked him, standing up quickly.

"The same as twenty minutes ago." He slapped his arm. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Jess chuckled. "No, you're not. I can see the darkness in your eyes."

"It's just… the longer Rory isn't ready to talk to the police, the more time Ron has to get away. That bastard deserves more punishment than anyone."

"You should go to school."

"I did. Two days ago. Everyone was talking about me and Rory and Ron. I could hear them whispering while I passed in the halls."

"Go tomorrow. You need the break from this environment."

Tristan bowed his head, knowingly. "I'm gonna go in there."

"I'll see you at Luke's tonight?"

"Sure."

"Make sure you come this time. I mean it, you need to get out of here."

"What about Rory?"

"I'm sure she can handle one night with just Lorelai."

He walked toward the door and cracked it open. "I'll see you tonight."

A week after that

"Rory?" Tristan asked as he went through the door yet again.

She opened her eyes and smiled. "Hey," she whispered.

"I need to talk to you for a sec."

He sat by her and grabbed her hands and held them affection-ally.

She smiled over to him, her eyes glowing.

He didn't smile. "I know this is going to be really hard for you. Hell, it'd be hard for me. But there are cops outside the door. You need to talk to them."

Her smile faded as tears filled up her eyes. "Do you think I can do it?"

"Of course, Rory. You can do anything."

She sadly smiled. He gave her a kiss and nodded as he exited.

The room was filled again in a moment.

"Hello officers…"

A/N: Well, that's it. It might have been a little rushed, I think. I just really want to post the first chapter to the sequel. All my chapters are on average, 4 pages. But since I've been working so hard on this first chapter, it's 6 and a half! I'm so proud of myself. I'll post it tomorrow. Wait, it is tomorrow, right now. 12:35 am. Can you believe I'm writing for you this late? I love you too much. Review!

Paige


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